April 28, 2021 Issue

The Johnson City FFA Wildlife team placed 8th at the State Wildlife CDE (Career Development Event) held at the Stephen F Austin Experimental Forest outside of Nacogdoches. Brinley Portie, Mason Roberts, Colin Shoemaker and Brett Sultemeier joined the long list of top ten teams coached by FFA advisor, Steven Meier.

By Julie Storer Senior Paige Dalland and Junior Brent Bible will join the top throwers in Texas in a quest for gold at the UIL 2021 Track & Field Championships in Austin. Dalland’s mark of 40’1/2” outdistanced runner-up Alexi Wade of Granger whose best mark was 33’10-1/2”. Bible’s 49’5-1/2” fell short of winner Cole Paxton of Brackettville’s 56’2-3/4” to qualify in 2nd place.

LBJMS student Julessa Regino skated her way past 300 performers from across the country at the Texas Bluebonnet Open in Leander last weekend. Regino, daughter of Florencio and Karla Regino, has trained with Coach Rhea Nelson in Austin since taking up ice performance skating five years ago. Her 1st Place in Free Skate Compulsory without Music and Program with Music qualified the 8th grader to compete in 2021 Skate Dallas in Allen this summer.

Since early voting started last week, Johnson City voters have been casting ballots to decide two seats on the city council. Three candidates--the two incumbents and a challenger--are running in the at-large election. Election Day is Saturday. On the ballot for the city council are Pat Dildine, Stephanie Fisher and Clayton Young. Mayor Rhonda Stell is unopposed for a second term. For this story, each candidate answered questions from the Record-Courier. Pat Dildine    Dildine, ...

JCISD Trustees met on Monday night in the LBJ High School Commons to consider several construction items. President Shelly Wenmohs called the special meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. JCISD Superintendent Richard Kolek began the meeting discussing the middle school renovations. “As you know, we’ve had some situations where we went from a renovation to remodel which required the need to add hot water in the Middle School concessions and rest room areas,” he said. Casey Sledge of Sledge ...

School Nurse Isela Raffety holds some of the hygiene kits that have been prepared and donated by the Blanco County Rotaty Club. The hygiene kits have been provided to other organizations within the county in order to support senior citizens, homeless persons, and teen mothers. During the last two years, Rotarians have been able to provide over 2,500 kits.

JOHNSON CITY—The League of Women Voters of the Hill Country Texas urges all voters to take time to find information on candidates for office. A printed League Voter Guide for the Blanco Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District Board Director At-Large and Director Precinct 2 is available at the Johnson City Library.

The Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky (BCFNS) last week concluded its 2021 Night Sky Art Contest for students at the high schools and middle schools in both Blanco and Johnson City. The contest, whose theme was “Discover the Night – Deep in the Dark of Texas™,” drew entries from 126 students.

JCVFD Board Meeting JCVFD will meet for a regular business meeting on April 28 at 6 p.m. Blanco County Rotary Club The Rotarians will meet on May 3 at noon at Proof and Cooper at the Lumberyard, and invite the public to attend. Movie Night The Johnson City Library will host movie night on May 4 at 5 p.m.

A bill under consideration by the Texas House of Representatives would allow the two municipalities in Blanco County--Blanco and Johnson City--to use funds from its hotel occupancy taxes to promote dark skies. Rep. Erin Zwiener, who represents District 45 in Blanco and Hays counties, presented House Bill 2433 to the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this month.

You may soon receive an appraisal notice from the Blanco County Appraisal District. The appraisal district mailed about 14,500 appraisal notices on 4/16/21. Your city, county, school district and other local taxing units will use the appraisal district’s value to set your 2021 property taxes. Under Texas law, county appraisal districts are required to notify property owners about changes in their property’s value.

Fredericksburg- This week, Hill Country Memorial Hospital was named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals® list. This is the tenth time Hill Country Memorial Hospital has been recognized with this honor as one of the top performing in the U.S. IBM Watson Health has identified the top hospitals from a rigorous evaluation of 2,675 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals in the U.S.

I have mentioned several times in this column over the past months that native grasses are the best thing to have on the ground to capture and hold rainwater. I think it might be useful to elaborate on that a little. The root structure of native bunch grasses looks a lot like the leaf structure above ground, with many roots growing from the area just below the surface and growing down and outward from there.

The Blanco County Commissioners Court special meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning by Judge Brett Bray. After roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance, public comments were heard. Kenneth Welch took the floor first and discussed item 13 on the agenda regarding the road width requirements in the county’s Development Rules and Regulations; he explained that the narrower roads proposed are not good for the future growth. “Please table Commissioners Wier’s proposal tod ...

On Friday, May 7, Highland Lakes Creative Arts is hosting a VIP reception during the week of their 14th annual Paint the Town event in Marble Falls. The reception features Plein Air artists and their respective plein air paintings from the week. Guests attending the ticketed event will enjoy live music, delicious food, and drinks.

A bid to expand health coverage for low-income Texans failed in the Texas House last week, 80-68. State leaders have long opposed expanding the Medicaid program, which is largely funded by the federal government. The measure that failed last week would have allowed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to negotiate a funding agreement with the feds, called a 1115 demonstration waiver, that would cover more uninsured Texans without technically expanding Medicaid, according to variou ...

The Johnson City FFA Wildlife team placed 8th at the State Wildlife CDE (Career Development Event) held at the Stephen F Austin Experimental Forest outside of Nacogdoches. Brinley Portie, Mason Roberts, Colin Shoemaker and Brett Sultemeier joined the long list of top ten teams coached by FFA advisor, Steven Meier.

Heading into the final regular season game on Tuesday against Harper (late score) the playoff position for the 2021 Lady Eagles was undetermined. A walk-off base hit in the bottom of the 7th last Tuesday at Center Point set up the must-win situation for JC to secure the runner-up position behind Mason.

By Julie Storer Senior Paige Dalland and Junior Brent Bible will join the top throwers in Texas in a quest for gold at the UIL 2021 Track & Field Championships in Austin. Dalland’s mark of 40’1/2” outdistanced runner-up Alexi Wade of Granger whose best mark was 33’10-1/2”. Bible’s 49’5-1/2” fell short of winner Cole Paxton of Brackettville’s 56’2-3/4” to qualify in 2nd place.

The LBJHS Eagle Varsity Baseball team preserved the chance to play for the 29-2A District Championship with a 9-0 victory over Junction last Tuesday. Cade Boyer threw six innings before closer Nate Axtell took over; Boyer stuck out ten, issued no free rides and helped his cause at the plate scoring two runs with four hits including one double, a roundtripper and four RBIs.

LBJMS student Julessa Regino skated her way past 300 performers from across the country at the Texas Bluebonnet Open in Leander last weekend. Regino, daughter of Florencio and Karla Regino, has trained with Coach Rhea Nelson in Austin since taking up ice performance skating five years ago. Her 1st Place in Free Skate Compulsory without Music and Program with Music qualified the 8th grader to compete in 2021 Skate Dallas in Allen this summer.

The Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky (BCFNS) last week concluded its 2021 Night Sky Art Contest for students at the high schools and middle schools in both Blanco and Johnson City. The contest, whose theme was “Discover the Night – Deep in the Dark of Texas™,” drew entries from 126 students.

JCVFD Board Meeting JCVFD will meet for a regular business meeting on April 28 at 6 p.m. Blanco County Rotary Club The Rotarians will meet on May 3 at noon at Proof and Cooper at the Lumberyard, and invite the public to attend. Movie Night The Johnson City Library will host movie night on May 4 at 5 p.m.

James Emmitt “Bubba” Elledge, Jr. passed away April 24, 2021 in Austin, Texas. He was born February 2, 1957 in Brownsville, Texas to James E. Elledge, Sr. and D’Ann (Lackey) Elledge. Bubba was preceded in death by his father. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Iris (Weed) Elledge; his mother, D’Ann Elledge, son, James Curtis Elledge and wife Michelle Ricci; brother, Lance Elledge and wife Shari; two sisters, Lynette Taylor and husband Pat, and Louise Fitch and husband Ben; two gr ...

Dorie passed away peacefully at home with family and loving friends at her side and went to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on April 17, 2021. Dorie Dale Howard was born in Long Beach, CA on May 9, 1945. She met and married the love of her life, Dale Roberts on February 10, 1973.

Ronald “Ron” Wayne Furber passed away on March 26, 2021 at the age of 78 inside his home in Henderson, Nevada. His battle with cancer showed his strength and determination. He did not give up but unfortunately this was a fight he could not win. Despite his loss in the battle with cancer, he remains a hero to so many.

In 1976 America celebrated two hundred years as an independent nation. In that same year I served on a church council in El Paso that oversaw many of the activities of a dozen or so congregations of my church. I was given the assignment of coordinating the church’s participation in El Paso’s Bicentennial celebrations.

During the March 9th Commissioners Court meeting, our Blanco Elections Officer delivered a power point presentation informing the Commissioners and the public of intent to apply for the Countywide Polling Place Program.  That presentation included this declaration:  “Under the Countywide Polling Place Program, counties can decrease the number of election day locations by 50% once they have been designated as successful.  More than likely, we will end up with three sites as time progresse ...

A bill under consideration by the Texas House of Representatives would allow the two municipalities in Blanco County--Blanco and Johnson City--to use funds from its hotel occupancy taxes to promote dark skies. Rep. Erin Zwiener, who represents District 45 in Blanco and Hays counties, presented House Bill 2433 to the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this month.

I have mentioned several times in this column over the past months that native grasses are the best thing to have on the ground to capture and hold rainwater. I think it might be useful to elaborate on that a little. The root structure of native bunch grasses looks a lot like the leaf structure above ground, with many roots growing from the area just below the surface and growing down and outward from there.

On Friday, May 7, Highland Lakes Creative Arts is hosting a VIP reception during the week of their 14th annual Paint the Town event in Marble Falls. The reception features Plein Air artists and their respective plein air paintings from the week. Guests attending the ticketed event will enjoy live music, delicious food, and drinks.

A bid to expand health coverage for low-income Texans failed in the Texas House last week, 80-68. State leaders have long opposed expanding the Medicaid program, which is largely funded by the federal government. The measure that failed last week would have allowed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to negotiate a funding agreement with the feds, called a 1115 demonstration waiver, that would cover more uninsured Texans without technically expanding Medicaid, according to variou ...